BONUS BLOG: Prayer of Celebration for Retiring Pastors & More
This time of year often brings Annual Conference for United Methodists, and for some pastors in our system it brings retirement.
Rev. Judy Nance Vidakovich is a long-time real life friend and colleague. She is not only joining the ranks of us retirees, but she is also the preacher at the Retirement Service at our Annual Conference! I am thrilled for her and all others in their time of transition.
Rev. Daniel J. Amey, another real life friend and colleague, is using this Annual Conference season as an excellent time for personal assessment. He has graciously given me his expressed permission to share his testimony he wrote today —
On June 11, 1981, Bishop C. Dale White appointed me to my first church as Associate Pastor at Zion UMC in Clarksboro, New Jersey. It affected the course of my whole life! In addition to launching 40 years of appointed ministry, it was at Zion I met my wife! God is SO good! A little while ago, I ran across this verse from Deuteronomy 2:7 which is my testimony of God’s faithfulness and grace. May Jesus Christ be praised!
— Pop Quiz: what’s this Deuteronomy 2:7 he mentions?
I had the same answer I’ll bet you do: “…uhh….”
Fortunately, he also included the answer to our question —
The LORD your God has blessed you
in all the work of your hands.
He has watched over your journey
through this vast wilderness.
These forty years
the LORD your God has been with you,
and you have not lacked anything.
— Celebratory Prayer: for retiring pastors and their families and friends, as well as all who can join Daniel in claiming Deuteronomy 2:7 as their own.
joescheets 